The New Zealand All Blacks and Australian Wallabies are well-known for battling it out on the international stage when it comes to rugby. While we’re always on the edge of our seats for those matches, you might not be aware that the two actually face each other at a national level, as well in the NRL.
The NRL is home to 17 teams — and one of those is the New Zealand Warriors, the only non-Aussie team in the league since the 1995 season. Despite not yet winning a premiership, they’re still one of the league’s strongest teams — especially this season! So hop into my time machine and let’s take a trip through the history of the NRL and the emergence of the Warriors.
Back to Where it All Started: 1900-1990
Our first stop on this journey through time is way back in the early 1900s; the NRL was born out of the New South Wales Rugby Football League, which was first played in 1908. When it first started, only eight (originally nine but Cumberland withdrew) teams from New South Wales competed, including the Sydney Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs, who both still play today — the latter of which walked away with the first ever tournament trophy!
During this time, the first women’s match took place in 1921. The New South Wales Rugby League remained the biggest competition across the continent until the mid-1990s. It thrived throughout the time, buoyed particularly by the widespread adoption of television.
Going National in the 1980s
It wasn’t until 1982 that teams from outside of Sydney were first admitted, when Canberra and Illawarra were allowed to join. The expansion into other territories wasn’t all positive, though, and some of the traditional Sydney teams found themselves unable to compete; the Newtown Jets withdrew, citing financial struggles.
Despite all that, we still saw the league grow once again in 1988 when the Newcastle Knights, Brisbane Broncos, and Gold Coast-Tweed Giants were admitted. The league rebranded to the Australian Rugby League as it began to include teams from across the country.
Changing Structure – 1990s
There were some significant changes on the horizon for the early NRL during the 1990s — like further expansion to include more teams from outside of Sydney. In 1994, there were 16 teams in the competition, and the Canberra Raiders had just claimed their third title. However, things were about to change.
Then came the very dramatically named Super League War, which saw clashes between the Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League and the Super League – a rival administrative body backed by Rupert Murdoch. The Australian Rugby League was responsible for organisizing domestic games — including the Winfield Cup from 1995 — and they were the only company allowed to broadcast the matches.
The Super League wanted to challenge the ARL’s dominance and moved to establish a rival competition. Each club received a letter of invitation to join the Super League for the 1995 season with stipulations about ownership and minimum crowd numbers. The battle went legal after eight clubs walked away from the Australian Rugby League, citing that the competition had become bloated with too many teams.
Some of the top talent from the ARL were attracted by the higher wages that the new competition was able to offer, and the league’s only Kiwi side — the Auckland Warriors — were one of the sides who moved over.
The Formation of the NRL
Following lengthy legal battles with the ARL, the Super League was only able to run for the 1997 season. It ran alongside the Australian Rugby League competition, leaving viewers split between the two camps. At the end of the tumultuous 1997 season, the ARL determined they couldn’t afford to continue and chose instead to negotiate a merger.
After the conclusion of lengthy talks between the two administrators, they decided to come together to form what we now know as the National Rugby League in 1998. The original competition included 20 teams, including the Super League’s newly created Melbourne Storm.
However, it’s important to note the teams left behind in the move, like the Perth Reds, who were in NZ$10 million of debt at the end of the first Super League season. The other teams left behind included the Hunter Mariners, Adelaide Rams, Gold Coast Chargers, and South Queensland Crushers.
Becoming the NRL: 1990s-Today
Although the first iteration of the NRL was played with 20 teams, it was agreed that it would be cut down to 14 eventually. That meant the teams that competed in that inaugural season were being assessed over factors like viewership, sponsorships, and performance, helping to determine if they should continue on. They were also encouraged to merge through money and a guaranteed position in the 2000 competition.
Club Mergers
The St George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers were the first to merge in 1998, and they formed the George Illawarra Dragons, who still compete today. They managed to make it to the Grand Final the following year, where they ultimately lost to Melbourne Storm 20-18. The sport was also showing massive amounts of growth during this time, and the final set a new attendance record with 107,999 fans packed into the Accord Stadium in Sydney.
The NRL organizers still felt there were too many clubs in the league and continued to encourage mergers to slim down numbers. At the end of 1999, we also saw another of today’s iconic teams, Wests Tigers, formed by the merger of Balmain and Western Suburbs.
You might have forgotten about this merger — due to the collapse of the partnership in 2002 — but North Sydney and Manly Warringah briefly came together to form the Northern Eagles. After the partnership broke down, Manly Warringah went on to return to the league as the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in 2003. Meanwhile, North Sydney entered into the NSW Cup, the level below the NRL.
Rabbitohs Removed
Another incident in the league’s formative years that you might have forgotten was the removal of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. They were eliminated for failing to meet the criteria on attendance, sponsorship, and performance, although it was never made clear which criteria they didn’t meet.
The club’s removal, however, caused a wild uproar. It was estimated that about 80,000 fans came out to protest the decision to remove the Rabbitohs in November 2000. It remained a highly controversial move, and South Sydney’s premier team even went to court over it. Although an initial decision ruled they hadn’t been unfairly removed, the Rabbitohs appealed again and were ultimately readmitted in 2002.
2003 a Standout Season
The 2003 NRL season is one that will live long in the minds of fans, as the Penrith Panthers bolted their way to the top for their second title. They became the first team to rise from the bottom spot of the leaderboard (after round 2) to win the premiership. They went on an eight=match unbeaten run between April 9 and June 7.
New Zealand’s Warriors
Before the league’s only Kiwi side were the New Zealand Warriors, they were originally the Auckland Warriors. After a difficult 2000 season, which saw them win only eight of their 26 games and finish only one spot from the bottom of the table with only 18 points, they rebranded into the iconic side we all love to watch today. As an extra little fun fact, the team which finished below them — the North Queensland Cowboys — were actually deducted two points for fielding an extra player against the Eels.
How Do the Warriors Perform in the NRL?
The New Zealand Warriors have remained in the NRL ever since their first season in 2001. Although they haven’t yet won a premiership, they have won a minor, reached two grand finals in 2002 and 2011, and the general finals eight times.
The Warriors have also put in a strong performance in this 2025 season, finding themselves currently fourth on the leaderboard. They’re eight points behind leaders Raiders with only five games left to play, making it unlikely to challenge for the premiership; However, it’s still been a strong showing, even with the team having to overcome injuries to some of their top players.
The leader for the Dally M medal and Warriors’ talented halfback, Luke Metcalf, was ruled out of the season at the end of June after tearing his ACL. Their captain, James Fisher-Harris, experienced a calf injury in June, and co-captain Mitchell Barnett’s season ended after also rupturing his ACL that same month. It’s a testament to the Warriors’ apt strength that they have been able to continue so strongly in the NRL.
What Does the Future Look Like for the NRL?
Today, the NRL draws global attention and continues to grow both in terms of fans and teams. There are currently 17 sides playing from the premiership, but that’s set to grow to 19 teams by 2028 when the Perth Bears and an as yet unnamed side from Papua New Guinea are admitted. Following the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, the league will also add a 20th team.
For the Warriors, their performance this season has been incredibly encouraging. Despite losing their top players, the league’s only Kiwi side has continued to be one of the standout performers. I can only see them challenging even more next year when these key players return. We should all be keeping a key eye on them.
Lucius Boehm has over ten years of experience writing about sports from rugby to football under his belt. The keen insight he gained from being a player and his Degree in Sport, Health and Physical Education, shapes his content.
